Wednesday, June 21, 2023–12:38 p.m.
-David Crowder, WRGA News-
The Citizens SPLOST Advisory Committee will continue the process of narrowing down the list of potential projects to be included in a special purpose, local option sales tax package in November.
The committee will meet starting at 5 p.m. today in the Fire Education Room, located at 409 East 12th Street.
As always, the meeting is open to the public.
The Rome-Floyd County Development Authority is hoping that its wish list item makes the cut.
The development authority is seeking $20 million to purchase land for industrial recruitment.
Board chair Jimmy Byars explained the importance of having property in hand during Tuesday’s development authority meeting.
“The point that we’re really trying to get across is that without inventory, we’re out of business,” he said. “It’s not like the state calls us up and says they have a prospect, can we go find some land? The state calls you up and asks what we have that can be activated immediately.”
Past SPLOST-funded purchases have included Enterprise Corner off Highway 411 between Rome and Cartersville, as well as the former Northwest Georgia Regional Hospital site, now known as the Battey Business Center.
“Some of the decisions that you all have made in the past for many years got us Lowe’s and a lot of other of the industries out there,” Byars told the development authority. “The single reason was that we had inventory. Now, we’re getting low on inventory. So, hopefully, it is time to grease that pipe again.”
The SPLOST committee heard 26 presentations during a series of meetings, and with projected revenues from the SPLOST at between $85 and $90 million, some projects will not make the referendum.
Some of the other requests include $3.3 million for the Cave Spring water main project and repairs to the school roof, nearly $24 million for a new Rome Police Department headquarters and new radios, $5.7 million for fire department capital projects, and $7.1 million for Floyd County public works and public safety equipment.
